Jaintia in Meghalaya can be traced in the Jaintia hills. Basically it is a sub tribe of Khasis and since they have been residing in Jaintia hills, they have been named so. Jaintia, like Khasis, belong to the Proto Autroloid Monkhmer race. Jaintia along with Khasis, Wars, Pnars are known as Hynniewtrep. Jaintia are known by different names such as Syntengs, Jayantias and Pnars given to them by different anthropological authorities.
In general, Jaintia tribes along with Khasis include the following groups :
# Bhoi in the northern Meghalaya
# Khynriam in the central Meghalaya
# Pnar of the Jaintia hills
# War in the southern Meghalaya
Apart form the above listed, there are Lalung, Vaiphe, Viate and Hmass in the Jaintia hills.
Food habits
Like Khasis, Jaintia of Meghalaya also have rice as their main food. At times they also have fish and meat. They drink rice beer on every religious function. From this they prepare the beer on their own by fermenting the rice.
Clothing
Jaintia at Meghalaya wear the same dress as Khasis. The men wear Jymphong and dhoti while the women wrap several pieces of clothes so as to give a cylindrical shape. During functions they wear crowns of silver and gold with peak attached at the back of it.
Parental Lineage and Social Customs
Jaintia follow the lineage of mother's family. Children of Jaintia tribe take up their mother's surname. The daughters of Jaintia tribes take away the property from their ancestors. Jaintia cannot marry within the same tribe. Since most of them follow Christianity, after death the Jaintia in Meghalaya are buried.
----------------------------
Meghalaya-map
east-garo-hills east-khasi-hills jaintia
ri-bhoi south-garo-hills west-garo-hills
west-khasi-hills
----------------------------------
